Youth vulnerable to extremists on social media, UAE academics say

ABU DHABI // Youth must be better supervised when using social media to counter terrorist organisations that target people online, academics said at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on Thursday.

In a session on social media and the fight against terrorism, Dr Aisha Al Nuaimi, a professor of mass communications at Abu Dhabi University, said in this day and age most terrorist organisations used social media to promote their agenda.

In 2008, Dr Al Nuaimi said, it was estimated that there were more than 6,000 terrorist-related websites online. Citing a CNN report, she said ISIL had used social media and posted more than 1,000 messages on a daily basis since 2012. As a result of the speed at which information can travel, and ease of access, social media has become terrorist organisations’ most effective tool in influencing the minds of youths.

“If we don’t act on time to counter the terror narrative on social media, the confusion will continue to rise,” Dr Al Nuaimi said. “If we lose our youth, we will lose our battle.”

However, she said, blocking websites was not the solution.

“We should increase awareness about them and about how they [terrorist groups] use social media for their own motives.”

Academic scholar and FNC member Dr Fatima Al Mazrouei told the audience that ISIL was a classic example of how terrorist organisations used social media to their benefit. ISIL, she said, used social media websites – especially Facebook – to promote their agenda.

“They know Facebook is the fastest and most popular social media platform to influence minds, especially of the youth.”

Dr Al Mazrouei said parents or guardians must keep a check on their children’s use of Twitter and Facebook, should they inadvertently draw attention to themselves from the wrong people.

Were this to happen, youths could be at constant risk of getting direct messages from terrorist groups. Dr Al Mazrouei said that, in this case, a person should not respond to strange messages sent to them.

In an earlier session, UAE foreign policy experts lauded the efforts made by the Founding President, Sheikh Zayed, in creating a country that has gained and commands respect in the international community.

During the talk Sheikh Zayed and International Relations, experts said the UAE’s policy of mutual respect and non-interference had taken the country to great heights.

The non-resident Ambassador of the UAE to the Principality of Andorra, Hessa Al Otaiba, said Sheikh Zayed’s wisdom, with regards to creating good relations with neighbours, mutual respect and non-interference, had made the UAE one of the world’s most respected countries.

She said Sheikh Zayed’s role as a reformer as well as political leader – not only in the region, but also the world at large – had always been appreciated.

The UAE Ambassador to Germany, Mohammed Ahmed Mahmoud, said since the early days of the Union Sheikh Zayed had put great focus on foreign policy, seeking to strengthen the country’s relations within the region and worldwide.

Humanitarian assistance, the Ambassador said, was one of the strongest pillars of the UAE’s foreign policy. Be it Egypt, Palestine, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria or Afghanistan, Sheikh Zayed always extended his support.

“Sheikh Zayed was always there to help Pakistan. Even on his private visits to Pakistan, he helped the country through many humanitarian projects. He always helped Pakistani people.”